For Those Who Hold No Laughter
by BlackIris
Summary: Snape buys a dangerous gift that ends up putting Hogwarts in disorder. Remus, Sirius, and James dare to get the last laugh, before two mysterious beings do...Part 1 please R/R.


Poof

**A/N: YES! This is what all of you are waiting for, PART 2 OF THE LIFE OF THE DREAMERS. That's right, if you didn't read that fic go back and do so now unless you don't care about the significance of Harold. This takes place in the 7th year. It has a lot of Snape but bear with me. Snape is a cool character, but just to make you all happy I have tons of Sirius and Remus. James isn't too exciting, so don't even complain.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters they're all J.K. Rowlings. Except for Harold, and I know everyone hates a new character but he's important. **

**For Those Who Hold No Laughter**

By Black Iris

Poof. She was gone. No trace of any human being. He looked franticly. "No, she was here a second ago. I'm not crazy, I refuse to be!" Harold pulled back his jet-black hair. Sweat was dripping from his brow. The woman who had been sitting on his bed left. Or had she? It didn't matter. He saw her. 

~~~~

It was Christmas Eve. The halls were decorated with little snowmen and santa clauses. "What a dumb hallway." Snape remarked and rolled his eyes. He hated Christmas decorations. As a matter of fact, he hated Christmas all together. It was his 7th year at Hogwarts. He was now considered an "upper classman" and knew every secret entrance in the school. "Probably will get a sweater or something." 

"Hey what are you looking so gloomy about? It's Christmas!" Lucius smiled as he caught up with Snape.

"Easy for you to say. You have a rich family." Snape sulked as he walked down the long hallway. 

"Yeah, well, at least you get something."

Snape laughed bitterly. "I'd get more 'something' if I asked a kid to take his lunch money."

Lucius said nothing. He knew that Snape never liked to talk about his family. "Whatever, man. I'm going to the store. Care to come with?"

"Nah." Snape brooded.

"See ya later."

"Bye." 

~~~~

"Harold you're a weirdo." Lucius laughed.

"I thought Severus wanted to go to town."

Lucius shrugged. "In one of his moods, I guess. He gets this way around Christmas time. I think it's his family."

"Why, what did his family do?"

"I don't know. They never talk to him."

Harold jingled a couple pieces of money in his pocket. "He never liked me, you know. I mean Severus."

Lucius smiled. "I'm sure being friends with Sirius doesn't help."

"Sirius is a cool guy. I mean, for a Gryffindor. And it's not like you care."

"If I did, I wouldn't be talking to you."

"Hmm, good point." Harold brushed back his hair and looked at Lucius. Lucius was a good friend, but could he trust him enough to tell him of last night. Would it matter?

"Hey Lucius, I was wondering, you can keep a secret, right?"

Lucius looked at his friend. "Depends on the secret."

"Forget it."

Lucius smiled.

~~~~

"Why do you hang around that dork anyway, you know he's friends with Lucius." Remus tossed a red ball to Sirius.

"He's not a dork. And I thought you were old enough to be mature about stuff like this, Moony." Sirius tossed the ball back. 

"What do you do with him anyway?" James asked as he wrapped a present.

"Just stuff." Sirius said offhandedly.

"What _kind of stuff?" Remus looked at him suspiciously._

Sirius laughed. "When are you guys going to except the fact that you might not be my only friends."

James shrugged. "We didn't mean to offend. _Isn't that right, Moony?"_

"Yeah. Sure." Remus tossed the ball around.

"Now if you all don't mind, I'm going to town."

"See ya, Padfoot." Remus and James said in unison.

~~~~

"What does he know. Him and his fancy clothes and expensive quells." Snape muttered. He wanted to go to town. Utterly alone. He knew Lucius asked Harold to go with him. Snape sensed a slight uneasiness with Harold. Their two spirits didn't collide, and even though Harold had done nothing to him, he knew that they would never be friends. 

Snape walked outside. It was freezing. He tucked his black robe tighter around his body and started walking to the village. Just then he looked to his side and muttered. Sirius was coming his way. God, what did this man do all day, wait for him to show up? Snape walked faster but then realized he couldn't avoid Sirius's confrontation. 

"Hey Severus, seen Harold around?" Sirius smiled evilly.

"Bite me, Sirius." 

"Aw now that's not a good thing to say. You hurt my Christmas Spirit." Sirius caught up to the now walking faster Snape. "Why don't you like him anyway. He is your fellow Slytherin."

Snape turned sharply and gave a look to Sirius that made him stop. "None of your business."

Sirius picked up some snow as Snape started walking again. "Hey Severus, catch." Sirius threw a snowball at the back of Snape's head and hit it with deadly accuracy. Before Snape turn around, Sirius ran out of sight.

"What an arsehole."

~~~~

"I thought you went to town!" James quickly tried to hide some presents under the bed as Sirius walked in. 

"Yeah, well I pegged Severus with a snowball so I had to come back." Sirius laughed. "I love snow."

Remus smiled. "You know, he's going to kill you one of these days."

Sirius shrugged. "Not if I have you with me."

Remus shook his head. "Get out of the room before James blows a fuse in his head trying to hide all your presents." Remus looked at James stumbling.

Sirius smiled and walked out the door. "As you wish!"

~~~~

Snape walked into a popular store owned by an unknown man who came around once a year. The store was big, about the size of three Slytherin houses combined. He blew hot air on his hands.

"Care to try this scent, sir!" A crazy 16-year-old girl, who must have worked there, sprayed nasty smelling cologne on the poor, unexpecting Snape. 

"AGGRRHH!" Snape cringed. He tried to run away. 

"Sir! Sir, please fill out our survey for peanut butter cookies!" 

"Leave me alone!!!" Snape ran. He hated weirdo Christmas employees. Snape decided he was in the safe part of the store, not a sample perfume in sight. He looked in his pocket, and saw that there wasn't much to spend. Snape sighed.

"Hey buddy. You're looking kind of depressed."

Snape looked up to see a girl, long brown hair, pretty face but kind of chubby.

"I have good reason to be."

"You look a little lost."

"I'm looking for a present for my friend."

"What kind of friend is this?"

"Huh?" Snape looked confused.

"Boy or girl."

"Boy."

"How much money do you have."

"Money?"

"Sickles, gallons…"

"Oh. Not a lot."

"I like you. Come with me." The girl could have been mistaken to be the age of 24, but her face seemed more childish. She led him into a darkened room. "I've got the perfect thing for your friend." She held out a small red box, embroidered with gold and silver. It looked slightly Japanese in its velvety shimmer. Snape looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow.

"I said he was a boy."

"What makes you think he wouldn't like this?" Said the girl taken aback.

"It's too girlish looking. Don't you have something in black…"

"Fool. It's the inside that counts. You of all people should know this."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Lets face it, you're not the most attractive kid in the world."

"Nor are you." Snape mumbled.

The girl sighed. "Look, do you want it or not? I have other things to do, you know."

"Fine. I'll take it." Snape handed her the money.

She smiled. "Oh no, my dear." Her grin turned wider. "This is on me." She walked out of the dark room.He looked at his watch. It was getting late.

~~~~

Remus looked at the clock. 5:23 a.m. It was Christmas morning, officially that is. Much to his surprise no one was up. He lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling and sighed. Christmas was always hard on him, because he always felt guilty that he never had enough to give. He smiled. 

"This Christmas is different."

"Hmm…ponies are pretty…" Sirius said groggily as he turned in an arched position, his butt in the air.

Remus smiled. Yes this year will be different. He got up and looked at the bags under his eyes. He grinned as he brushed back his floppy sandy blond hair. Yes, he was bored. But come on, what do you do on Christmas morning? He carefully pulled out long bags of presents that were hidden under his bed.He had been saving his money so he could do this. Duh, _Little House on the Prairie scenario. He placed his presents on his friend's beds. Just as he was about to get under the covers, he heard a loud creak. Remus didn't think much of it._

"Just someone up for Christmas morning…" He shrugged and went into his bed and fell half-asleep. 

On good days we often dwell, 'Cause people don't know us so well, You may be safe and free from strife ,But we don't fool, We play with life.

Remus jumped up. He looked violently to the left and right. Everything was dark. "Just a dream." He fell into a deeper sleep…

~~~~

"Ok, ok. We get the idea. You're a funny man Remus Lupin, a funny funny guy!" Sirius jumped on Remus's bed. 

"Huh, what?" Remus said wiping his eyes and yawning. Paranoia set in as he noticed the whole Gryffindor house was gathered around his bed anxiously waiting for a response. "Uh, what's going on…"

James looked at Remus. "We were hoping you would tell us." Remus looked around to see a lot of angry faces.

"Um, I don't understand…hey…there's no presents!" Remus looked at the end of his bedpost. 

James and Sirius looked at eachother. "Yeah and we want to know what you did with them. Sirius saw you sneaking around last night."

Remus looked at his friends shocked. "Well, I, I mean, you're joking right?"

"Dead serious."

A loud knock was heard in a distance. 

"I _SWEAR BLACK IF YOU DON'T RETURN OUR BLOODY PRESENTS YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ARMS TO FIGHT WITH!!!"_

Remus looked at Sirius. "Seems like we aren't the only ones to notice the present shortage."

"It's probably Severus. I know that high-pitch scream."

"Maybe we should tell Dumbledore…"

"Dumbledore thinks teddy bears are hiding in his bushes. I think we'd better try to get this straight before we do anything drastic."

James smiled. "I would love to see you try to convince Severus that we didn't take all the Slytherin's presents."

"Well then, be prepared to be amazed."

~~~~

Snape crossed his arms. "They're procrastinating."

"Well, honey, with a face like yours I'd be procrastinating as long as possible." The Fat Lady laughed.

"Go find yourself a Weight Watchers program and lose a couple threads." He sneered. The Fat Lady shrugged. Sirius Black exited the Gryffindor Room followed by Remus and James. (Peter was on Christmas leave, because he's an annoying character and uninteresting.)

"About time. I suppose you've come to bring back our presents, or not."

"What if we told you we didn't take your presents."

"Then there would be a big problem." Snape curled his fists. "You see, I have permission from the whole Slytherin House to beat the crap out of you."

"You have no proof. You'd be expelled."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Then let me into your Common Room."

Remus looked at Sirius and James. They were expressionless.

"Ok, then. Come on in."

Remus started. "Oh you have _got to be kidding me!"_

James gave Remus a shut-up look. Remus only bit his lip and mumbled. Snape grinned as if he had won some small victory. Remus looked at him like a hawk. Snape noticed this and raised a curious eyebrow in private. Snape stepped into the huge Common Room. All Gryffindors stopped talking. Everywhere were Snape moved, eyes followed him. First, he moved to Sirius's bed and looked around it. Then he went to a third year's bed and looked. Then, the bathroom, and ect... Nothing. No candies, new clothes, cookies, money, sheets, underwear, ties, teddy bears (Dumbledore's personal favorite), books, or brooms. Snape rubbed the coarse hair on his unshaved chin. 

"You're right. Nothing. Not even you have presents. This is very odd…"

"Very odd indeed don't you think so, James?" said Sirius in mock-excitement.

"Very, very!" James nodded in mock-agreement.

Remus smiled as Snape gave them all a venomous look. "We'll see about this. I'm going to Dumbledore." Snape slithered out of the Common Room, his walk that everyone knew so well.

~~~~

"Sir, there seems to be some mistake, some guy…"

"Yes, yes I'm quite aware of the problem, my dear." Said Dumbledore very sadly to McGonagall. 

"I don't understand. I mean, all the houses are blaming eachother."

"People tend to do that when they don't know what to do."

"Yes, sir." McGonagall sighed. "So what are we proposing to do about it."

"Absolutely nothing." Dumbledore said without looking at the strict human being.

"What? Well we cant-"

"Of course we can. Obviously some one wants attention, and to do a thing like this is the perfect way to do it. Even though it is a very sad event, doing something about it will only get this person what he wants."

"Albus, you know I stand with you always, but I think that's bull."

Dumbledore looked at McGonagall with a raised eyebrow. "Did you lose something precious, Minerva?"

McGonagall filled her lungs with air. "Of course not. I must go. Goodbye, Albus."

Dumbledore only nodded.

~~~~

"Severus, jeez what an idiot." Sirius rolled his eyes. "If I were that ugly I think I'd go insane."

Remus laughed. "I think he's used to it. Being insane I mean."

Sirius smiled. "Hey all, long day. No presents and Dumbledore canceled the feast. I'm ready to grab some air."

James rolled over on the bed. "Grab some air? Something up that we don't know about?"

"Nah, just meeting Margaven."

Remus shook his head in disapproval. "I'm telling you he's a rotten egg. All Slytherin's are."

Sirius shrugged. "He's interesting. Maybe if you gave him half a chance you'd know that."

"Alright, then I'm going with you." Remus hopped off his bed and grabbed his coat.

"Y-you are?" Sirius was slightly shocked.

"Sure, he is a good guy, right?" Remus had already got his right glove on.

"Well, yeah…"

Remus smiled. "I guess I judge people too quickly. He's bound to be a cool guy if you're friends with him."

Sirius mimicked Remus's smile. "Come on then." 

~~~~

Harold was already at the bent tree that they knew so well. He waved at Sirius, but stopped when he saw that he was not alone. Sirius caught up to the tree with Remus at his side. Harold gave a weak smile.

"Hey Sirius, you brought your friend."

"Yeah well, I couldn't shake him off." Sirius smiled at Remus. Harold sat down in the snow. "This whole thing really bites. My dad was going to give me a new broom."

Sirius and Remus imitated Harold and sat down.

"Yeah Sirius, you should have seen the things I got you guys." Remus sighed. Then Remus remembered. What he had heard that night. That rhyme, or song. "You know what? I did hear something before I went to bed…"

Harold gave Remus a sharp and mysteriously panic look. "What? What did you hear?"

Sirius cocked his head in curiousness.

"Well, I don't really remember. I was just a song really. Something about playing…" Remus stroked his chin trying to remember.

"Playing? Playing what? Try to remember more…"Harold was closing in towards Remus's face.

"Uh, I don't remember." Remus backed away from Harold. Harold sighed and rested his head against the tree. "Its getting late, guys. I got to go. Nice talking to you…uh…"

"Remus."

"Yeah, right. Remus, tell me if you hear anymore, uh, funny poems." Harold got up from the ground.

"Sure thing."

Sirius looked at Remus. "See? That wasn't so bad." He rolled some cold snow into his palm.

"Yeah…"Remus walked toward the Gryffindor Common Room, with Sirius at his side.

~~~~

Friend an enemy alike, They're all so interesting, To see what someone would do, in another's shoe, Is a fight worth listening to.

Snape walked outside in the cold air alone. Lucius had been getting on his nerves. Personally, he was happy that no one got any presents and that someone had taken the embarrassing, red, girly, box. "It was a dumb present anyway." He sneered. Lucius was a good friend, and he would have felt guilty if he had not given him anything at all, but he had such a snobby way about him, corrupt from the love of money that was inherited in any rich boy's family. He walked faster. Two figures were coming towards him and it didn't take Sherlock to figure out who it was. "Remus and Sirius. Wonderful."

Sirius walked to him. "Trying to find buried presents, Severus?"

"I would love to bury you where no one can find you."

Remus was less than thrilled. Sirius was always trying to pick a fight.

"I don't feel like this. I'm jumping ahead." Remus walked on a different path as Sirius nodded. Snape only smiled.

"Looks like your beggar friend dissed you."

"Only because he didn't feel like putting up with your crap."

Snape stopped. "I believe it was you who said the first word to me."

Sirius's eyes flashed. "Maybe we should finish this."

"Maybe we should."

They rolled up their sleeves. 

BANG!

They both blacked out.

~~~~

"So I said, Johnny! Your muffins are on fire! And he said-"

"What…who…ugh…" His head throbbed in pain.

"It's about time you got up. Probably faking it you lazy boy."

Things weren't so blurred anymore. Sirius opened his eyes. He noticed the room was white, had blue curtains…yes, it was the nurse's office. He sat up.

"Oh no you don't! You lay right back down." Madam Pomfry pushed his chest down on the bed.

"Yeah…" Sirius closed his eyes. Then he noticed something. He felt strangely…thinner. And his voice…scratchier. Must have been that fight…wait, the fight! There was no fight, or was there? Had Severus slugged me good and hard? Did I drop my guard on the first punch? "Madam Pomfrey! Madam Pomfrey what happened?! Did he slug me?"

"Slug you? Boy, both you and Sirius were on the snow out cold."

"Huh? Oh you mean Severus."

"Don't you be playing those mind games with me, boy!"

"Mind games? What?" His head pounded harder. Then-sudden horror. The thinness. The voice. The greasy hair falling on his face. "Madam Pomfrey! A mirror!"

"Quit shouting boy, you'll wake the others. And you still look the same as you did yesterday when you were making up that pitiful excuse of a stomach ache." Pomfrey handed him a small bathroom mirror. "Satisfied?"

Sirius could only stare at the mirror with his mouth open. He wasn't Sirius. He was Severus. "No, oh lord please no. My face, my beautiful face!"

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "So you got a couple scratches."

Sirius just stared at the mirror. If he was going to be Severus he had to be cool until he found a solution. "Where did Sirius go?"

"He went to class. Which is where you should be right now."

Sirius could only nod.

~~~~

"What's with you and the lost expression? You know you sit by me." Remus smiled at the Sirius-look-alike.

"What? Oh yes, I know that." Snape cleared his throat. He was just starting to compose himself after the shocking revolution of waking up and not being…him. "Uh, what's up Remmy."

Remus looked at Snape. "Remmy?"

"Come on class quiet down! I expect you to have your books out when the bell rings." McGonagall flipped a page. "Mr. Black. I believed you had a question you wanted to ask me yesterday that I didn't get around too…?"

"No, Madam." Snape said with confusion. Remus elbowed him and made a gesture like 'go on'. "Uh, where do babies come from?" People laughed. Snape only smiled but noticed that Remus wasn't smiling.

"You're lucky you're a Gryffindor Mr. Black." McGonagall rolled her eyes.

To be continued…

A/N: Shortness, I know. There will be more, R/R flames are welcome.


End file.
